Improvement in door-locks



E, P. FOWLER, OF BROOKLYN, AND O. J. GLEMENTS, OF MO'IT HAVEN, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN DOOR-LOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 91,733, dated .lune 22, 1869.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWIN P. FowLnR, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, and CHARLES J. CLEMENTS, of Mott Haven, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented, made, and applied to use a certain new and useful Improvement in Locks; and we do hereby declare the following to be al., full, clear, and exact description of the siid invention, reference being had to the anniexed-drawing, making part of this specication, wherein Figure l is an elevation of our lock with the cap-plate removed, the bolt being withdrawn. Fig. 2 is a similar elevation with the bolt projected. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the tumbler-box at the line and Fig. 4 is a longitllidinal section of the tumbler-box and guardp ate.

Similar marks of reference denote the same parts. p

Latches have heretofore been made in which a plate-key is used to operate upon tumblers; but in locks of this character the key could only be entered from one side of the lock, and hence was not adapted toihotel-doors, nightlatches, andplaces whereyahe key could be used to advantage on either side of the door.

The nature of our said l,invention consists in a swinging box containing tumblers that can be acted upon by arjey, introduced on either side of the lock; andi we combine therewith a guard-plate, that is itted so as to prevent the lock being loclced, except by the proper key, as well as preyeiitin g the unlocking, except by the key. rlhereby there is no opportunity to determine, the position that the tumblers have to be plefeed in for opening the lock, and preventing any impression ofthe ltjumllolers being taken when the bolt is drawn In the drawing, a. represents the box of the lock; b, the cap-plate; c, the bolt; d, a cheektumbler upon a fulerum, x, and acting with the stud 2 to keep the bolt projected or retracted. f is the box for the tumblers g, and la. is an arm projecting frei the side of the box f, so as to work the tumbler d and project or retract the bolt c. The box f is itted to turn upon the hubs or,y disks 7c, that are formed with the box f, and occupy circularl openings or recesses in the box of the lock and cap-plate, and in these hubs 7c are the openings l for the key on. The tumblers g are upon the fulerum-pin t', that is across the box j', and is at right angles to and intersects the axial line upon which the box f and hubs 7c swing, so that the key-holes l l can be placed in corresponding positions in the hubs k, and the key hence will act upon opposite ends of the swinging tumblers g, giving the same extent of movement to each tumbler, whether the key is introduced at one key-hole or at the other. rIhe ends of the tumblers that come toward the guard-plate o are provided with notches. We prefer to introduce several false notches, and in each tumbler one notch, 3, of the requisite depth. The guard-plate o slides in grooves in the inner faces of the tumblerbox f, and is connected, by a link, p, to a stud, 4, and this is located so that the guardplate will be pushed in and then pulled out by the box being turned from the position shown in Fig. l to that shown in Fig. 2.

It will now be understood that the key-bits are so formed that the key, when pressed into place, will bring all the notches 3 in line with the guard-plate, as seen in Fig. 3, and hence the end of the guard-plate o will slide into said notches as the tumbler-box is swung 5 but, if the notches are not properly placed, the tumblers and end of the guard-plate, coming into contact, prevent the box f being moved, and hence the lock cannot be opened.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

rlhe box j', fitted to swing upon the hubs k, in combination with the tumblers g, fitted to be acted upon directly by the key at opposite sides of the fulcrum when the key introduced from either side of the lock through either keyhole l in the respective hubs, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our signatures this 12th day of October, A. I). 1868.

GHAs. H. SMITH, Gnoncn T. IPi'NoKNnY. 

